Railway-crossing signal.



- ,PATEN'TED MAR. 31, 1903.

N. PERRAULT. RAILWAY CROSSING SIGNAL mm, @um www `Witnesss:

N0 MODEL.

' JMTED STATES PATENT EEICE.

NORBERT PERRAULT, OF OTTAWA, CANADA.

RAILWAY-CROSSING SIG NAL.

SFECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. I724,395, dated March 31, 1903.

Application tiled December 15,1902; Serial Noi 135,202. (No model.)

.T0 all 107120721/ it may con/ecru.-

Beit known that I, NORBERT PERRAULT, a subjecteof the King of England, residing at Ottawa, county of Carleton, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway- Crossing Signals; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to railway-signals, and is especially adapted for use at railway-crossings for the purpose of giving warning of an approaching train. In its general construction it comprises a signal or sign, which is displayed to passers-by at the proper times as a warning, but which is normally in a less conspicuous position or condition, this signal being automatically operated by the approach or departure of a train.

The invention consists in the constructionY and combination of parts to be-more fully described hereinafter and definitely set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a portion of a railway-track supposed to be at or near a crossing, showingfthe application of my invent-ion, the parts being shown, however, largely diagrammatical, as will appear. Fig. 2 is a substantially vertical section, upon an enlarged scale, showing the arrangement of a portion of the signal-operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a substantially vertical section, also upon an enlarged scale, representing one of the automatic devices for controlling the aforesaid signal. Fig. f1 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 4. f1 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail front elevation of the signal and the upper portion of the signal-shaft.

Throughout the specification and drawings the same numerals of reference denote like parts. Y

Referring more particularly to the parts, 1

represents a railway-track;supposedly at or near a grade-crossing.- 'At a convenient point I provide a substantially vertical shaft 2, provided 'at' its upper extremity with a signal, such as that shown' at 3. `It should be understood that this shaft is rotatable and carries rigidly a bevel-gear 4, which bevel-gear meshes with a bevel-gear 5, carried upon a horizontal shaft 6. The shaft 6 is preferably disposed su bstantially at right angles to the direction of the track and extends to a point substantially under the adjacent rail 7,' at which point it is provided with a pair of rigidly-mounted ratchet-Wheels 8 9, the teeth of which incline in opposite directions, as will be readily understood, and pawl-plates 10 and 11 are loosely mounted upon the aforesaid shaft 6, which carry pawls 12, which may engage with the teeth of their corresponding ratehetwheels, as will be readily understood, being constrained for this purpose by the leaf-springs 13. As shown in Fig.2,this mechanism just described and other parts con` nected therewith are inclosed in a suitablyformed box 14.

The pawl-plates 10 and 11 are preferably formed, as indicated, with upward extensions or wings 15, to which Aare attached clevises 16 17, and to these clevises are respectively attached the pull-Wires 18 19, which extend in opposite directions, as indicated, to remote points upon the track. Springs 20 press against the side Walls of the box 14 and nor'- `mally maintain the pawl-plates 10 and 11 in the position in which they are shownin Fig. 2. lVhen in this position, it should be observed that the pawls 12 are held disen-A gaged from their ratchet-wheels by means of the upwardly-curved fingers 2l, which are attached to the side walls of the. box and project into the path of the pawls, as will be readily understood. It should appear further that if a pull were given upon either of the pull-wires 18 19 in thedirection of the arrows shown in Fig. 2 the corresponding pawl-plates would be rotated upon the .shaft 6, the commencement of such a rotation being accompanied by the release of its corresponding pawl, so that it could then engage with its corresponding ratchet-wheel,

` whereupon the continued movement of the pull-wire would then effect a rotation of the shaft 6, so that it could move the signal.

,The devices for actuating the pull-wires` are two in number, substantially similar inconstruction and located at more or less remote points along the track. They are indicated by the numerals 22, and it should appear that they constitute a portion of the rail 7. The construction of one of these devices IOC is most clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. It

should appear that it comprises an elongated bar or member 23, adapted to be secured in the same manner as a rail, being providedv between which there is an elevated face 27.

At its opposite extremity, however, the recess extends longitudinally into the body of the bar, passing beyond the edge 28, as shown,.

' blocks 30, preferablysubstantially triangular in section, their horizontal faces resting upon the bottom of the recess, as indicated. Between these blocks 30 are provideda plurality of similar blocks 3l, the horizontal faces 32 of which are in substantial alinement. At that extremity having the recess 29 (which extremity is, by the way, the more remote from the signal) there is provided a speciallyformed block 33, which is received by the recess 29 and has an inclined face 34 and an elevated face 35, which is of substantially the same height as the aforesaid face 27. There is also provided a sink-bar 36, which consists, substantially, of a fiat bar with downwardly-turn ed extremities 37 ,which may be rounded on their upper sides, as indicated at 38, for an evident purpose, and this sinkbar lies in the upper portion of the aforesaid recess 24. By means of a suitable fastening device 39 the pull-wire 19 is attached to the block 33, and it should be understood that the tension in this wire normally maintains the member 33 in the dotted position in which it is shown at 33a, and when this condition of affairs exists the triangular blocks 30 are of course held close together, wherefore they maintain the cooperating blocks 3l in the elevated position in which they are indicated in dotted outlines. This operates to normally maintain the sink-bar 36 in an elevated position, such as that in which it is indicated at 36 in dotted outline. When, however, a train is passing, one of its wheels, as indicated in dotted lines at 40,Wil1 depress thesinkbar 36, whereupon the blocks 30 and 3l will be forced into the relation in which they are shown in fullv lines, and this operates to advance the block 33, as will be readily understood, so that a pull is given upon the corresponding pull-wire.

It should be stated that the device shown in Fig. 3 is comparatively short in length,

but in practice it is expected that this device will be of such length as to insure its being f always in contact with a wheel of the train, so that the sink-bar would be maintained continuously depressed until the train had passed, and the parts will b e so proportioned that the resultant advance of the block 33 would eect a revolution of the signal-shaft through ninety degrees, and it may be further stated that the signal is normally maintained substantially at right angles to the railway-track, as shown at 4f in Fig. l in dotted lines. The parts of the mechanism in this figure are shown substantially in the relation they assume when either of the track devices 22 is being held depressed, as will be readily understood.

The mode of operation of the entire mechanism may be now briey described. The signal 4 is normally maintained in the position 4, in which it presents an edge toward one approaching along the roadway. When a trainr is approaching, however, its wheels depress one of the devices 22 and maintain the same depressed until the train has completely passed. v This operates to throw the signal 4i into a right-angled position, so that it is conspicuously presented to view. The train having passed, the signal is returned automatically by either of the springs 2O to its normal position. The fact that there are two devices 22 enables the signal to be operated by trains passing in either direction. In order to eect this movement of the signal, the pawl-plates are actuated, their movement effecting an engagement of their corresponding pawls with the ratchet-wheels carried by the horizontal shaft 6, the rotation of this shaft being communicated to the signal-shaft 2 through the bevel-gears 5 4.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawings the preferred form of my invention, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise form shown, for many of the details may bechanged in form or position without aifecting the operativeness or utility of my invention, and I therefore reserve the right to make all such modifications as are included within the scope of the following claims or of mechanical equivalents to the structures set forth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a device of the class described, in combination, a substantially vertical shaft, a sign carried thereby, a substantially horizontal shaft adapted to drive said rst shaft, ratchetwheels carried by said horizontal shaft, pawls cooperating therewith, said ratchets and pawls being adapted to rotate said horizontal shaft in either direction, springs norm'ally constraining said pawls so that they are disengaged from said ratchet-Wheels, pull-wires adapted to actuate said pawls, andautomatic vtrack devices adapted to actuate said pullwires, said sign being normally maintained with its edge presented toward the roadway.

2. In adevice of the class described, in combination, a substantially vertical shaft, a sign carried thereby, a second horizontal shaft adapted to rotate said first shaft, saidhorizontal shaft being disposed substantially at ico' IIO

right angles to the direction of the rails, ratchet-Wheels rigidly carried thereby, the teeth whereof are disposed in opposite directions, pawls cooperating with said ratchetwheels,means for normally holding said pawls out of engagement with said ratchet-wheels, automatic track devices, and mechanism leading thereto and adapted to actuate said pawls.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination, a substantially vertical shaft, a sign carried thereby, a second and substantially horizontal shaft adapted to rotate said first shaft, said horizontal shaft being disposed substantially at right angles to the rails, a pair of ratchet-wheels rigidly carried by said second shaft, pawl-plates rotatably meunted upon said horizontal shaft adjacent thereto, pawls carried thereby, the teeth of said ratchet-wheels being disposed in opposite dizo rections, means for constraining said pawlplates so that said pawls are normally disengaged from said ratchet-wheels, and automatic track devices adapted to actuate said pawl-plates.

4. In a device of the class described, in combination, a substantially horizontal shaft, a sign adapted to be controlled thereby, said shaft being disposed substantially at right angles to the direction of the railway, ratchetwheels rigidly carried by said shaft, the teeth whereof are disposed. in opposite directions, pawl-plates rotatably mounted upon said shaft adjacent to said ratchet-wheels, pawls carried thereby, springs normally constraining said pawl-plates, members projecting into the path of said pawls, wherefore they nor-l mally maintain the same outof engagement with said ratchetwheels, pullwires connected with said pawl-plates, and automatic track devices adapted to actuate said pullwires. u

5. In adevice of the class described, in cornbination, a danger-sign, asnbstantially horizontal shaft adapted to control the same, said shaft being disposed substantiallyat right angles to the direct-ion of the railway, a pair ofratchet-wheels rigidly carried by said shaft and having oppositely-disposed teeth, pawlplates rotatably mounted upon said shaft, pawls carried thereby, springs therebehind and constraining said pawls toward said ratchet wheels, springs constraining said pawl-plates, and members projecting into the path of saidpawls and normally adapted to maintain the same out of engagement with said ratchet-wheels, pull-wires connecting with said pawl-plates, and automatic track devices adapted to actuate said pull-wires.

6. In a device of the class described, in combination, a substantially horizontal member adapted to be depressed by the wheel of a passing train, a plurality of members therebelow having inclined` faces, a signal, and mechanis-m connecting said signal with said members.

.7. In a device of the class described, in combination, a plurality of blocks having inclined faces, a member resting thereupon and adapted to be depressed by the wheel ofa passing train, a signal, mechanism connecting said blocks with saidsignal, and a spring said blocks, said sink-bar being adapted to,

depress said blocks, a sign, and mechanism connecting said blocks with said sign.

9. In'a device of theclass described, in com bination, a member adapted to substantially constitute a portion of the rail, said member having a recess, a plurality of blocks with inclined faces mounted withinA said recess, a, spring constraining said blocks longitudina'llyof the rail, wherefore they are normally maintained in an elevated position, a sink-l bar resting upon said` blocks and projecting above the upper face of 'said rail, a signal, means for longitudinally guiding one of said blocks within said recess, vand a pull-wire connecting the same with said signal.

10. In a device of the class described, in combination, a signal, a shaft adapted to control the same, ratchet-wheels rigidly carried by said shaft and having oppositely-disposed teeth, pawl-plates adjacent to said ratchetwheels, pawls carried thereby and adapted to coperate therewith, members constituting substantially portions of the rail, bars carried thereby and adapted to be depressed by the wheel of a passing train, a plurality of blocks below said bars and adapted to support the same normally in an elevated position, pull-Wires connecting said blocks with,`

IOO

said pawl-plates, andsprings constraining said pawl-plates and said blocks, whereby, said blocks are normally maintained in said elevated position.

1l. In a device of the class described, in

combination, a sign, a shaft adapted to con-l trol the same, .a pair of ratchet-wheels rigidly carried thereby and having oppositelydisposed teeth, p'awl-plates, pawls carried thereby, members adapted to project into the path of said pawls, a pair of bars located respectively upon the track and on opposite sides of said sign, said bars beingladaptedto be depressed by the wheels of a passing train, members adjacent respectively to said bars, means whereby the depression of said bars may displace said members, pull-wires re,`

spectivel y connectingsaid members with said pawl-plates, and springs constraining said pawl-plates and maintainingk said bars .normally in an elevated position,lsaid members' normally maintaining said Apawls out of engagement with said ratchet-wheels.

12. In a device of the class described, in

combination, a sign, pull-wires extending in 13. An automatic railway-crossing guard comprising a vertical rotatable shaft, a sign mounted on its upper end,a bevel-gear mounted on its lower end, a horizontal shaft transverse to the track,a bevel-gear mounted thereon and intermeshing with said irst gear, a lever operatively connected with said horizontal shaft, a depressible track device inserted in the track at a distance from the crossing, and a connection between said lever and track device,whereby said lever is caused to be rotated by the depression of the device.

14. An automatic railway-crossing guard comprising a vertical rotatable shaft, a sign mounted on its upper end,a bevel-gear mounted 0n its lower end, a horizontal shaft transverse to the track,a bevel-gear mounted thereon land intermeshing with said rst gear, a pair of ratchet-wheels keyed to said horizontal shaft and having their teeth facing in opposite directions, a pair of paWl-levers loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying pawls adapted to engage with the respective gears, means for normally holding said pawls out of engagement with said gears, track devices connected with said pawl-levers to rotate the same on the passage of a train thereover, and retractile springs adapted to return the levers to their normal position after the passage of the train.

15. In an automatic railway-crossing guard, a track device comprising a depressible bar over which the wheels are adapted to roll, and a series of triangular blocks interlocking with one another beneath said bar and adapted to slide laterally, the block at one end bein g seated againsta fixed abutment. g

16. In an automatic railway-crossing guard, a track' device comprising a depressible bar over which the wheelsof a train are adapted to roll, a series of loose triangular blocks adapted to slide in upright position on a longitudinal base, a series of inverted triangular blocks interlocking with the blocks of the first series and on the bases of which said depressible bar rests, a fixed abutment for the block at one end of the series, and an operative connection for a cable or wire at the other end of the series, whereby a slight depression `of said track device causes an increased horizontal movement of the-wire or cable attached to said device.

17. Inanautomat-icrailway-crossingguard, a track device comprising a chambered casting inserted in the rail and forming a part thereof, a depressible bar closing the upper side of the chamber of said casting and normally rising a slight distance above the upper side of the casting, a series of upright triangular blocks having the ends of their bases cut away and arranged to slide loosely on the base of said casting, a series of inverted triangular blocks similar to the first series and on Whose bases said bar is adapted to loosely rest, a fixed abutment against which the block at one end of the inverted series is adapted to slide, a sliding block forming an abutment for the inverted triangular block at the other end of the series, and a bolt extending sidewise through a slot in the casting andY secured to said sliding block and forming means for connecting a wire or cable. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

NORBERT PERRAULT.

Witnesses:

EVELYN A. RooNEY, HELENE L. RooNEY. 

